


Bravery

by Kaori (Kayozuki)



Category: BanG Dream! (Anime), BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: Confessions, F/F, Fluff, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 04:20:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18275663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayozuki/pseuds/Kaori
Summary: On this special day, Arisa finally musters the courage to tell Kasumi something which is long overdue.





	Bravery

**Author's Note:**

> You might be wondering why I decided to use the Valentine's Day setting when it's not even Valentine's Day. Well, it doesn't matter because everyday is technically Valentine's Day, for me at least. (￣∇￣)

Ichigaya Arisa stood in the middle of the barren corridor, in front of the room she’d been frequenting for almost a year now. She stared blankly at her shadow which was cast on the door, outlined thinly by the waning lustre from the evening sun. She shivered. Hanasakigawa’s winter uniform was doing little to keep her warm, and the cold seeped through the thin fabric, causing the hair on her arms to stand on end. A cellophane gusset bag was pinched between her numb fingertips, its mouth tied up with a little strip of white ribbon.

Today was the day she was finally going to confess.

Arisa wasn’t even sure how these feelings came to be. All she knew was that the mayhem began nearly two years ago, when Kasumi first barged into her life. Though unwilling at first, the keyboardist came to accommodate to Kasumi’s weird antics, accustomed herself to them, and even relished them—to a certain extent—as the months flew by. The vocalist was so feisty, so impulsive, and constantly dragging the band into her unpremeditated outbursts and ideas — which ultimately led to Arisa having to clean up after her most of the time. But gradually, she learned to appreciate this continual, chaotic cycle of life.

Most importantly, she was the one who broke Arisa out of her introverted shell. Kasumi unveiled an aspect of the world which Arisa thought was unfathomable before. Learning to open up to others. Learning to care for others. Learning to trust others, and to rely on them. Kasumi had inspired her to do things she normally wouldn’t have bothered or dared to attempt by herself. It felt weird to admit it, but her actions, decisions, and words had all changed significantly to revolve around the vivacious singer.

Recently, she had become vaguely aware of the change in her feelings whenever Kasumi was with her. She was painfully conscious of the vocalist’s presence, and how she acted around her. Seeing her face never failed to summon a swarm of restless butterflies in her stomach. Her brain was hardwired like a broken CD that was stuck on an endless loop, persistently brooding over these inexplicable emotions. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all.

Arisa _yearned_ to be close to Kasumi. She _yearned_ for Kasumi to notice her.

It was difficult to honestly admit those sentiments.

To herself.

To the members of Poppin’Party.

To Toyama Kasumi.

But that would all change today. At least, that was what she hoped for.

The chocolates made for Kasumi were different from the ones made for the other band members. She had already exchanged chocolates with the others during lunch break, while Kasumi was away meeting a teacher for a remedial session. She wanted to give them to Kasumi when they were alone — she did not want her feelings to be exposed to the other members. They might have already caught on though; somehow... the mischievous smiles they’d been giving her lately were a strong indicator of how much they knew.

Arisa’s fingers lingered hesitantly over the metal door handle. The other student council members had gone home for the day — she had ascertained that beforehand. Rinko and Sayo had their entrance exams looming ahead, and they had already stepped down, taking on advisory roles until their graduation. There was nobody else around, other than her classmate behind the door. Yet, anxiety gnawed at her insides, and her pounding heart threatened to burst out of her chest. She had never been this nervous, ever.

Really, this whole situation felt utterly ridiculous to her. The blonde still couldn’t believe she was about do something like this. She could have been doing something productive instead — tending to her bonsai plants in this frosty weather, or cooping herself at home to prepare for the impending final exams. Even lazing on her warm bed to surf the Internet would have been a preferable alternative.

The keyboardist was also uncertain on how Kasumi would react to her sudden confession. She was an oddball; there was no way to accurately predict her response. She might not even comprehend the concept of romance in the first place. Then Arisa would have been wasting her own time, and her pride would inevitably be sent to the gutter in the days to come.

She shook her head vehemently. Dwelling on the potential negative outcomes was only encouraging her to chicken out, and she was determined to make her feelings clear today. The seeds of doubt which were sprinkled throughout her being were a pain to sustain, and it weighed heavily on her heart.  She just wanted to end the torment which had been ravaging her mind for what she felt like an eternity.

 _“Sometimes you just have to wing it, Arisa!”_ Lisa’s words from yesterday rang in her head. **_“_** _Otherwise… you’ll definitely regret it in the future when it’s too late!”_

She sucked in a deep breath through her gritted teeth, reciting the intended procedure under her breath for the umpteenth time.

“Okay... okay. Enter calmly. Wait for an opportune moment to hand over the chocolates. Tell her what I memorized last night. Simple enough...”

A rumbling sound echoed across the deserted hallway as the door slid open.

“Arisa?”

“Wha—!”

She quickly hid the chocolates behind her back.

Her classmate was standing on the other end, observing her curiously. Her chestnut brown hair was pulled into the usual star-shaped buns, and her yellow flannel was draped loosely around her waist.

“What were you doing, talking to yourself like that? Such a weirdo.”

“I don’t need to hear that from you!” Arisa shot back. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Being called a weirdo by Kasumi of all people was probably the greatest insult she could receive. “A-Anyway, were you still looking over the clubs’ budget proposals for the upcoming year?”

The vocalist nodded wearily, wagging an accusing finger at her classmate. “Where have you been since classes ended? You promised that we’d do it together! I was toiling away for the past two hours all by myself!”

A surge of guilt washed over the blonde. In her haste to mentally prepare herself, she went to hide in a secluded corner of the school when classes ended, in a desperate attempt to soothe her nerves. She forgot all about their assigned tasking as a result. But of course she wasn’t about to admit that.

“I... was talking to the student council advisor earlier,” Arisa mumbled, looking away pointedly. It was partially true, except that it actually occurred before classes commenced. “The teachers wanted me to take over Rinko-senpai to become the next student council president. Apparently, she recommended me for the position as well.”

“Ooooh!” Kasumi clasped her hands together, her eyes glittering with excitement. “We should definitely celebrate in that case!”

“There’s nothing to be happy about. It just means more work in the future,” she huffed. “Besides, we originally joined the student council just to add something to our report cards. There’s no need to go so far—”

“Oh c’mon, why not!” Kasumi whined. She grabbed Arisa’s hands, shaking them with a surprising bout of vigour. “Accept the role! Then I can waltz around when the new school year starts, and proudly declare to everyone that I’m closely linked to the most powerful student of Hanasakigawa!”

_How did I even develop feelings for this girl....?_

She groaned, forcibly disentangling herself from Kasumi’s grasp. “Just what am I to you? Your personal trophy to fuel your bragging rights?”

“You don’t have to phrase it like that!” The band leader tilted her head, apparently deep in thought. “Hmm... maybe—”

“No. Not gonna hear the rubbish you’re about to spout out,” Arisa muttered, already stepping into the room. Picking up the towering pile of forms from the table in the center of the room, she made a beeline for the laptop which was discreetly tucked away in a corner, surrounded by gray metal cupboards and wooden shelves lined with thick files of school records. The computer by the window would have been more convenient, but the confined space shielded her face from Kasumi, which was very much needed right now. She could resonate with Rinko’s decision to set up this corner in the first place.

She just needed to compose herself.

“Let’s just settle this administrative stuff so we can leave before they lock up the school,” she called over, dumping the stack next to the laptop. “I’ll update the information on the school’s database, while you finish up with the proposals. It’s getting dark.”

“Aw, you’re no fun...”  

The brunette pouted. Still, she followed suit, plodding toward the table. Throwing herself on the nearest chair, she eyed the remaining sheets of paper wistfully for a second, before slapping her cheeks, which returned some color to its whitened skin.

“Yosh, let’s do this!”

Arisa whizzed through file after file, paying the minimal amount of attention to the documents’ intricacies, her fingers idly tapping on the keyboard. At the same time, she pondered over her next move. But it wasn’t doing her any good. Her mind remained clouded with trepidation and uneasiness.

She leaned backwards, craning her neck past the shelves. Kasumi’s face was scrunched in concentration, and she was fully focused on the proposals which were messily scattered around the table.

Arisa couldn’t help but smile. That was one of the many things she admired greatly about Kasumi: her ability to devote her one hundred percent in anything she set her eyes upon. She couldn’t let Kasumi be the only hardworking one, especially when she had already ditched her once today.

She’ll come up with something when she’s done with work.

The following hours elapsed in silence. The sky had dimmed significantly, and the chatter from the school grounds had quietened down. The second-year student stretched in relief. She was finally done. A quick glance at the wall clock informed her that the school was about to be locked up for the day. She would have to leave the logging of Kasumi’s proposals for tomorrow in that case. She turned the laptop off, grabbing the bag of chocolates as she stood up.

“Oi Kasumi, it’s time to head home—”

A sleeping Kasumi greeted her as she emerged from her corner, and understandably so. Her lunch break was eaten up by the remedial session, and she had reported to the student council room directly after classes. She hadn’t managed to catch a proper break since the day began. Another wave of self-reproach assaulted her as she edged toward Kasumi, taking care not to make any involuntary movements to wake her up.

The vocalist had her head rested on an outstretched elbow, facing the direction of the approaching figure. Her shoulders followed her rhythmic breathing, rising and falling as she inhaled and exhaled. Her mouth was wide open, with a little drool dribbling from her lower lip. It was an unglamorous sight, but that did not stop Arisa’s lips from curling upwards. After all, this was the Kasumi she knew and loved.

The keyboardist rummaged through her pockets and fished out a clean handkerchief. She pulled a chair from Kasumi’s right and took her seat quietly. Kasumi’s forelocks were obstructing her face, so Arisa gently brushed the stray strands of hair from her cheeks with her fingers. She leaned closer, and dabbed lightly at Kasumi’s lips with the piece of cloth.

“Mm...” Kasumi murmured, stirring awake. “What is that?”

“It’s a handkerchief. You were drooling while you were asleep, you know.”

“No,” she said. Staying in her position, she pointed at Arisa’s other hand. “That.”

A sudden burst of dread welled up, constricting the blonde’s chest. She was talking about the chocolates.

“Obligatory friend-chocolates? Were these handmade? Just like last year? For me?!”

Kasumi’s eyes widened, and any trace of drowsiness had melted away as she gaped at the sweets, arranged neatly in its transparent wrapping to prevent even the slightest risk of breakage. Each piece nestled within was shaped perfectly. Arisa’s hours of slogging had not gone for naught. She silently thanked Lisa for her invaluable help, but the only questionable issue was that the bassist had insisted that Arisa use the heart-shaped mould for her chocolates, and she deeply regretted having gone with that idea. It was totally not her style.

“I-It’s not obligatory.”

Her face was burning. She could feel the blood rushing into her ears. Her moist palms were clammy and she balled them into fists to alleviate the barrage of sensations which were coursing through her veins. All she desired for in that instant was a hole to open up and swallow her into the void.

“Then what is it? This is so unlike you, Arisa,” Kasumi said, giggling.

A comeback instinctively rose to her lips, but it extinguished just as quickly before she could utter anything. Her mind was spinning in betrayal, and she hadn’t the slightest clue on her next course of action. The words from her script had completely vanished from her memory. She could only shut her eyes tightly, expecting a further wave of teasing and misconstrued replies from the bubbly girl.

Instead, there was a scrape of the chair’s legs against the floor as Kasumi stood up. A slender pair of arms draped themselves over Arisa’s shoulders, their hands linked over her pounding chest. The vocalist bent over, resting her head on the keyboardist’s right shoulder. A warm cheek nuzzled against Arisa’s own, thawing out the panic which was churning in her stomach just seconds before.

Gingerly, she reciprocated, placing her hands over Kasumi’s. A pulsating warmth emanated from the back of Kasumi’s hands as they made contact. That soothing sense of mellowness was slowly, but surely, calming her down. At the same time, a gush of determination flooded her body, empowering her, blessing her with a powerful spurt of courage.

Screw the script and lengthy roundabouts. There was only one proper way to do this.

“Kasumi... I love you.”

Arisa’s eyelids flickered as she opened them. She looked down. Kasumi’s delicate fingers were now interlocked with hers. She could feel the heat from the two palms pressing against one another. Smiling softly, she tightened her grip, intensifying that incomprehensible tenderness buried within her chest, setting it free from the confines of her once concealed heart.

“Thank you,” her companion whispered softly into her ear. “I’ll definitely treasure this moment forever.”


End file.
